Vasa vasorum: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:11, 9 February 2025

Network of small blood vessels that supply the walls of large blood vessels

Vasa vasorum (Latin for "vessels of the vessels") are small blood vessels that supply the walls of large blood vessels, such as elastic arteries (aorta) and large veins (vena cava). They provide nutrients and oxygen to the outer part of the vessel wall, which is too thick to be nourished by diffusion from the blood in the vessel lumen.

Structure

The vasa vasorum are found in the adventitia and outer part of the media of large arteries and veins. They are more prominent in veins than in arteries, as the walls of veins are generally thicker relative to their lumen size. The vasa vasorum can be classified into three types:

Vasa vasorum interna: These originate from the main vessel lumen and penetrate the vessel wall.
Vasa vasorum externa: These arise from branches of adjacent arteries and veins and supply the outer layers of the vessel wall.
Vasa vasorum venosa: These drain the blood from the vessel wall into the main vessel lumen or into adjacent veins.

Function

The primary function of the vasa vasorum is to supply blood to the outer layers of large blood vessels. This is crucial for maintaining the health and function of the vessel wall, as the inner layers receive nutrients directly from the blood flowing through the vessel lumen. The vasa vasorum also play a role in thermoregulation and in the response to injury or inflammation of the vessel wall.

Clinical significance

The vasa vasorum are involved in various pathological conditions. In atherosclerosis, the proliferation of vasa vasorum can contribute to plaque growth and instability. In conditions such as Takayasu's arteritis and Giant cell arteritis, inflammation of the vasa vasorum can lead to vessel wall damage and stenosis.

Related pages

Gallery

Micrograph showing cystic medial degeneration, a condition that can affect the vasa vasorum.

References

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-'''Vasa Vasorum'''
+{{Short description|Network of small blood vessels that supply the walls of large blood vessels}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
-The '''vasa vasorum''' (Latin, "vessels of the vessels") is a network of small blood vessels that supply the walls of large blood vessels, such as elastic arteries and large veins. The name is derived from Latin 'vas' meaning vessel, and 'vasorum', the genitive plural of 'vas', thus meaning vessels of the vessels.
+'''Vasa vasorum''' (Latin for "vessels of the vessels") are small blood vessels that supply the walls of large blood vessels, such as elastic arteries (aorta) and large veins (vena cava). They provide nutrients and oxygen to the outer part of the vessel wall, which is too thick to be nourished by diffusion from the blood in the vessel lumen.
 ==Structure==
+The vasa vasorum are found in the adventitia and outer part of the media of large arteries and veins. They are more prominent in veins than in arteries, as the walls of veins are generally thicker relative to their lumen size. The vasa vasorum can be classified into three types:
-The vasa vasorum are found in the walls of large blood vessels, such as the [[aorta]] and [[vena cava]], and are more prevalent in veins than in arteries. They are particularly abundant in the tunica adventitia layer of the vessel wall, but can also be found in the outer part of the tunica media layer.
+* '''Vasa vasorum interna''': These originate from the main vessel lumen and penetrate the vessel wall.
+* '''Vasa vasorum externa''': These arise from branches of adjacent arteries and veins and supply the outer layers of the vessel wall.
+* '''Vasa vasorum venosa''': These drain the blood from the vessel wall into the main vessel lumen or into adjacent veins.
 ==Function==
+The primary function of the vasa vasorum is to supply blood to the outer layers of large blood vessels. This is crucial for maintaining the health and function of the vessel wall, as the inner layers receive nutrients directly from the blood flowing through the vessel lumen. The vasa vasorum also play a role in thermoregulation and in the response to injury or inflammation of the vessel wall.
-The primary function of the vasa vasorum is to supply oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the walls of large blood vessels, which cannot be sufficiently supplied by blood in the lumen of the vessel. They also remove waste products from the cells of the vessel wall.
 ==Clinical significance==
+The vasa vasorum are involved in various pathological conditions. In atherosclerosis, the proliferation of vasa vasorum can contribute to plaque growth and instability. In conditions such as [[Takayasu's arteritis]] and [[Giant cell arteritis]], inflammation of the vasa vasorum can lead to vessel wall damage and stenosis.
-The vasa vasorum play a significant role in the pathogenesis of a number of vascular diseases, including [[atherosclerosis]] and [[aneurysm]]. In atherosclerosis, the growth of the vasa vasorum into the intima layer of the vessel wall is associated with plaque development and progression. In aneurysm, the vasa vasorum are implicated in the weakening and subsequent dilation of the vessel wall.
+==Related pages==
+* [[Atherosclerosis]]
-==See also==
+* [[Arteritis]]
+* [[Blood vessel]]
-* [[Blood vessel]]
+==Gallery==
-* [[Aorta]]
+<gallery>
-* [[Vena cava]]
+File:Cystic_medial_degeneration_-_movat_-_intermed_mag.jpg|Micrograph showing cystic medial degeneration, a condition that can affect the vasa vasorum.
-* [[Atherosclerosis]]
+</gallery>
-* [[Aneurysm]]
 ==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-<references />
 [[Category:Cardiovascular system]]
-[[Category:Anatomy]]
+[[Category:Angiology]]
-{{stub}}